Tunisians demonstrated Sunday in the country’s capital, Tunis, in support of President Kais Saied and his moves to consolidate power, which critics have called a coup. The demonstrators, put at hundreds, who gathered in response to a call by a pro-Saied alliance, held banners reading “We are all Kais Saied” and demanded the prosecution of “corrupt” politicians.
Saied in early May announced the launch of a “national dialogue” to reunite the country and reestablish its democracy; however, he excluded the opposition Ennahdha party.
Saied in July of last year dismissed his government and seized a number of powers by granting himself executive authority in what critics have called a coup. In September 2021, he announced that he would rule by decree. A month later, he appointed a new prime minister, and then approved a new cabinet of political neophytes, coming from academia or who were civil servants, which he dissolved over a month ago. Saied wants to amend the 2014 constitution, which he says he will then submit to a popular referendum in July, ahead of the December elections.
Tunisia became a democracy in 2011 as part of the Arab Spring revolutions. Its democratic president and parliamentary form of government has experienced some difficulties. Saied was elected president in 2019.